The Distancing Effect by Maryam Monalisa Gharavi

A beautifully tangled collection of poems that reveal an intense focus on the world, not as a singular philosophical phenomenon but a series of sensual encounters that always seem to be on the verge of revelation. Like all great writers, Maryam Monalisa Gharavi leads us to the precipice of some greater understanding of our circumstances and ourselves, then withdraws and encourages us to take the final step into the wondrous ether on our own.

—Michael Thomsen

The Distancing Effect ignites the relationship between image and meaning, where descriptions themselves are shown to contain ideology as a byproduct of their transmutation into language. The poems orbit beyond a certain arm’s reach, but in a way that brings to the forefront that uncanny moment when self-awareness kicks in after distraction. An undercurrent of yearning runs through the work, something possible only when that distance exists, yearning for connection, even if only in our shared experience of disconnectedness.

—Mark Brendle

Maryam Monalisa Gharavi is an artist, poet, and theorist. Her work in film, video, performance, photography, drawing, sound, and text has appeared in various exhibitions and publications. She previously translated Syrian-Brazilian poet Waly Salomão’s Algaravias: Echo Chamber (Ugly Duckling Presse).

Book Information:

· Paperback: 68 pages

· Binding: Perfect-Bound

· Publisher: BlazeVOX [books] 

· ISBN: 978-1-60964-231-0

$16

The Distancing Effect by Ma… by Geoffrey Gatza